How to Raise Your Skeletons - Chapter 102

Chapter 102: The Poison Mist (1)

Finally, the time had come.

—Rumble!

The world of tropical rainforests trembled violently.

I slowly raised my head. The sky visible through the dense foliage had already turned ashen gray.

This is… kind of eerie, isn’t it?

That thought barely crossed my mind when…

“Screeeeeeech!”

A terrifying scream capable of shaking heaven and earth engulfed the entire space—the roar of a horrifying, evil monster born from accumulated resentment and grudges.

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

[The ‘Poison Mist’ has appeared in the central area.]

[The ‘Poison Mist’ is a toxic fog—a monster infused with the essence of all the poisons in the world.]

[Participants must survive against this monster for a week.]

[Success leads to advancement to Theme 2!]

[Failure results in death!]

[Good luck to all participants.]

“…”

The brutal warning messages prompted me to instinctively climb the tallest tree nearby. From there, I saw it—a dense, green mass of contamination, so immense that it appeared colossal even from afar.

“Damn.” The curse slipped out of my mouth, and I could feel an overwhelming pressure in the air as if it were choking me.

From the screams and curses echoing nearby, it seemed most of the participants were just as panicked as I was.

Honestly.

Did I have to go in there? Forget the poison; it was terrifying!

The boldness I had felt just minutes ago had completely evaporated.

“Yikes, that is insane.” Beside me, the old man I had summoned a few minutes ago shook his head. “How could anyone create such a monster? Whoever designed this dungeon must be out of their mind!”

“…Elder?”

“Honestly, I would’ve hesitated to enter something like that even when I was alive. Growth must follow stages, but this is skipping too far ahead. It’s like they’re telling everyone to just die. Tsk, tsk.”

What the heck, Elder? You’ve been encouraging me all this time, and now you say this?

“Elder, if even you feel this way… does that mean you would’ve died if you entered it during your prime? Didn’t you have the Absolute Poison Immunity?”

“Tsk, of course not. I’m just saying that if I had been in my Thousand Poisons Immunity days, I would’ve run away without looking back.”

“Ah.”

—Rumble!

The toxic fog, condensed like a ghost, rose into the air. Then it began rushing toward the highest hill nearby.

Looks like most of the participants are gathered there.

But that wasn’t the issue. The problem was how terrifying the poison was. Everything in its path—trees, rocks, even the ground—was blackened, corroded, or melted away.

“This is…” I grimaced. “This is basically a poison tsunami, isn’t it? It’s like a natural disaster.”

“That’s what I’m saying! What are you doing, lad? Run away already. We can’t afford to lose the last hope of the All Techniques like this.”

“Run away, you say?”

“Look at it. Doesn’t it feel like the mist isn’t spreading in a circle but specifically chasing down participants one by one? At least it’s not coming this way yet—that’s pure luck. You’re a lucky brat, so thank the heavens and get running!”

“Hm.”

The old man had a point. If the dungeon designer’s goal was for us to survive for a week, then following the rules was the safest path.

However, my heart continued to disagree with that thought. Why did I feel drawn to the poison mist? It was a primal instinct, just like how I had recklessly charged toward the old man in the past dungeon or how I’d faced the Sun Spear barehanded. I got a sense that a sweet reward awaited after a great trial.

“Elder.”

“What is it, lad? Don’t tell me you’re thinking something stupid.”

As expected of the Elder. He could read me like a ghost, perhaps because he was one.

“You told me before, if there’s poison, run toward it with a smile. I think I understand what you meant now.” I braced my legs.

“No, you fool! That’s not poison; that’s a monster, a monster!”

“Besides, Elder, you already know this too, don’t you?” I kicked off the tree trunk and sprinted toward the poison mist.

The Elder frowned, following close behind. “Know what?”

“That poison mist is incredibly fast, isn’t it? Once it melts everyone on that hill, it’ll come for me next.”

“…”

“Even if I had run far away after buying the information tickets, surviving for a week while avoiding it would be almost impossible.”

“Are you just trying to convince yourself?”

“They say it’s better to take the blow early if it’s inevitable. If it’s going to happen, might as well face it head on.”

“You lunatic. No matter how I look at you, you’re insane. You’re worse than me. I finally get why that Berserker fellow likes you.”

“Thanks for the compliment!”

I kept running. Even as I sprinted, I had some confidence. I had the Elder, who could monitor my energy flow, for an hour. And I had another plan in mind.

At that moment, thirteen people had gathered near the hill the poison mist was approaching.

“What the fuck is that?”

“What the hell’s a poison mist? How are we supposed to deal with that? What’s with this sudden change in the trial? Delilah, you crazy bitch!”

“Isn’t this just a death sentence? Judge! Hey, is there no judge around? I want to forfeit!”

The group consisted of a team of ten and a team of three. Hearing that a monster called the poison mist had appeared, they had climbed the nearby hill. Under normal circumstances, the two teams would have fought each other, but this was not the time.

“Screeeeeeech!”

The massive creature was charging toward the hill at an insane speed.

“We… We need to do something, don’t we?”

“Running is impossible! It’s way too fast!”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

“What can we possibly do against that?”

While the group was panicking, the leader of the team of ten stepped forward. It was Chris Larsen, with golden hair and a worn-out shirt, he had serpent-like, shrewd eyes that seemed both cunning and sharp. But his charisma was undeniable.

“Build a barricade!” he shouted. “Use all your skills to gather obstructions! Dig deep into the ground and pile up barriers around us!”

“Are you suggesting we hide underground…?”

“Shut up! Do you want to die? Stop asking questions and just do it!”

Under Larsen’s orders, the group began to work together. With someone taking charge, they finally had direction.

—Boom! Boom!

Someone used brute strength to pound the ground.

—Whoosh!

Another used the wind to gather branches and stones. Others cast shield skills or set up physical defenses. Everyone was doing their best to build a barricade.

“…” Larsen bit his lip.

We don’t have enough time.

In about a minute, the poison would reach them. And with this hastily built barricade, it wouldn’t be enough.

Do I have no other choice?

Chris Larsen was, by nature, a murderer. The subordinates he had gathered had survived the past month by killing.

There’s no way to build a pit big enough for thirteen people.

So he acted decisively.

—Stab!

He plunged a knife into the back of one of the team of three.

“Urgh!”

“Good work. Sorry, but you’ll have to die now.”

“Wh-What…?”

“What are you doing?!”

The remaining two shouted, but Larsen acted without hesitation. He was an S-rank hunter and one of the closest to becoming a ranker. His unique ability amplified his strength with each kill.

“You’ll be sacrificed for us.”

—Stab! Stab!

He swiftly took the lives of the other two, draining what little energy they had left after building the barricade. Furthermore, he received some help from his loyal subordinates who’d caught on.

“Hehehe, boss, are you going to use that ability?”

“I have to.” Larsen closed his eyes. Having killed three, his energy increased. “Haaaah!” he roared.

[Using skill ‘Absolute Shield’ (S-rank).]

—Rumble!

A transparent, circular shield surrounded him.

[Using skill ‘Absolute Shield’ (S-rank).]

[Using skill ‘Absolute Shield’ (S-rank).]

[Using skill ‘Absolute Shield’ (S-rank).]

He stacked the shields repeatedly.

“This won’t hold for long. Dig as deep as you can! As if you’re trying to drill through this hill!”

“Y-Yes, boss!”

“Move! Move now!”

His subordinates obeyed.

“…”

Larsen watched them impassively. Two weeks ago, he had stumbled upon an information ticket.

[Opening the ‘Theme 2 Information’ (S-rank).]

[This is a region where information cannot yet be confirmed.]

[Only partial information is revealed.]

It was about Theme 2. Though much of it was obscured, he learned that it involved forming teams. When Theme 2 began, each team leader would draft ten members. The trial rules included working together to uncover a hidden “national treasure.” That was why he had hidden his killer instincts and led them. Even now, this was why he didn’t kill the others needlessly.

—Rumble!

“Is it coming?”

Larsen crouched.

The monstrous poison mist was now right in front of him. A massive force of toxic fog surged toward them, towering into the sky as if it would consume the entire world.

—Gulp.

He swallowed hard.

Despite all the murders he had committed, the sight before him was terrifying enough to make him wet himself. Just smelling the faint traces of poison made him nauseous and left his body paralyzed.

What if he was swallowed by it? He’d probably melt within seconds.

It’s already here.

Everything in the poison mist’s path had been obliterated.

Ah.

At that moment, Larsen realized that digging a pit was pointless. The moment his shield broke, the hill itself would dissolve, rendering the pit useless.

“Damn it.”

It was futile. The wall to becoming a ranker was so impossibly high. How could Delilah expect them to overcome such a trial?

“B-Boss?”

“What are you doing? Get in the pit! Hurry!”

His subordinates shouted from behind, but Larsen couldn’t move. He was frozen, feeling the enormity of the poison mist’s presence.

Just then…

“Huff, huff! Hey, you toxic bastard. Where do you think you’re going without me?” a stranger’s voice rang out.

“…Huh?” Larsen’s eyes widened.

Outside his shield, a man stood there, right in front of the poison mist.

How is that possible?

Now that he thought about it, he must have been the reason why the monster had been staying still for a little while now. The mist recognized the man’s presence.

“Hey, you! Come here! Come play with me instead of those bad-tasting people.”

“…!”

Larsen was shocked to see the man jump at the poison mist. And with a screeching noise, the mist stopped in its tracks.

Who even is that?

Was this a participant? No, could he even be human? Perhaps the difficulty was absurd—it must have been a ranker judge intervening.

Either way…

They were saved. Thanks to that stranger, they were alive.

“Everyone! Get out!” Larsen dispelled his shield and shouted. “Run for your lives!”

He gave the order to flee, proving that, if nothing else, his decision-making in critical moments was impeccable.